<p>This paper presents the development and investigation of a thermal model of a hinge fitting for a small spacecraft, aimed at enhancing its structural performance through the implementation of a compliant mechanism with variable stiffness. A review and applicability analysis of various types of compliant mechanisms for space applications has been conducted. The analysis revealed that their use is limited by technological constraints, including the number of permissible operation cycles while maintaining rational physical and mechanical properties, as well as the necessity of continuous energy input to sustain the static position of the driven link. These findings substantiate the relevance of the present study. Mathematical modeling of the heat exchange processes in the hinge fitting was performed, accounting for natural convection and thermal radiation, using custom-developed software. Experimental investigations were carried out on a prototype of the hinge fitting to assess the accuracy of the mathematical model. Particular attention was given to the analysis of heating dynamics under constant power input and to the study of the temperature distribution across the surface of the prototype.</p>